Cooling device for photographic apparatus



Dec. 27, 1932. A. c. DENSLOW COOLING DEVICE FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC APPARATUS Filed March 5, 1929 Patented Dec. 27, 1932 UNITED STATES ALBERT c. DENSLOW, on NEW YORK QN. Y.,

ASSIGNOR TO STATEN ISLAND SHIPBUILD- ING 00., OF STATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK coonme DEVICE rota Pno'roemmc APPARATUS Application filed March 5, 1929. Serial No. 344,335.

The present improvements relate to refrigcrating apparatus and more particularly to that type of apparatus wherein a cooling effect is provided for certain solutions, as for example, in photography and the like.

A primary object, among others, is to provide a novelcooling system in association with certain solution tanks, the latter containing liquids for uses other than as a beverage. The functions and purposes of the automatic photographic machine, commonly known as photomaton, are familiar. In addition to taking the photographs on a strip, the latter is lead through several baths in the development tank, whence the developed strip is subsequently vended. In order to produce a more finished picture, as well as a sharp and clear cut one, it has been found necessary to maintain the developing solution in a cool condition. Such machines are not uncommonly subjected to varying temperatures, with the consequent variation in the quality of the product dispensed. The present improvements are accordingly directed to the solution of this diificulty.

A further object is to .providea novel refrigerating system, having cooling chambers, adapted to be disposed in association with existing machines of the type aforementioned. A still further object is to provide a low pressure conduit in such system, having chambers wherein the cooling effect is evenly distributed throughout same, as well as means for insuring and maintaining a substantially even temperature in the various chambers.

A novel type of cooling chamber comprises a further object of the invention.

' The present improvements further provide a novel cooling system adapted to be housed within the photomaton cabinet, whereby the efliciencyand operation of the machine is greatly increased.

Other objects and advantages ofthe present improvements will be apparent to those skilled in the art, upon reference to the accompanying specification and drawing in which 1 Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the improved coding system,

2 is an enlarged view of the cooling chalrznbers in association with a development tan Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a single cooling chamber.

/ Referring to the drawing, the refrigerating system illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises rotary compressor 5, driven by the motor 6, high pressure conduit-7, condenser 8, reservoir 9, regulator 10 and low pressure or suction line 11, 11 A, the latter including the chambers 12 to 16 and reservoir or dome 17. Electrical energy for motor 6 is supplied through connection 18, controlled by a thermostat (not shown) disposed in the solution tanks. A circulating medium, comprising preferably methyl chloride and an oil is provided in the system, and upon operation of the motor and compressor, the medium is compressed, condensed,-vaporized and again compressed after the manner set forth in my copending applicationsfiled Dec. 22, 1928, Serial No. 327,809 and filed Feb. 1, 1929, Serial No. 336,748, to which reference may be had for further details of the circulating cycle.

2, constitutes the development tank of an automatic photographic machine, wherein the picture to be developed is lead, by suitable mechanism, through a plurality of solution chambers 21 to 25. Interposed between such chambers, are water ehambers 26 to 29, into which the picture is directed for washing after having been immersed in the contiguous solution bath. The automatically traveling picture accordingly enters the bath in 21, moving thence through water chamber 26, whence it ventersihe bath in 22, and so forth, it being apparent that the picture strip is washed each time before it enters another solution. The tank I may be provided with suitable drains and cocks as illustrated. I

The cooling chambers for the solution compartments comprise a plurality of chambers.

12 to 16. ,Each such chamber is sealed, but forits inlet'and foutlet. In Fig. 2 the inlet pipell is brazed or otherwise secured into the top. of chamber 12, and extends substantially to the bottom therein, terminating in an The receptacle 20,-shown in section in Fig. 3

open mouth adjacent to the bottom as illustrated. An outlet pipe is secured in the top of chamber 12 and is of such extent as to bridge the adjacent water chamber 26, whence it enters chamber 13 and terminates adjacent to the bottom thereof. Chambers 13, 14, 15 and 16 are similarly connected by conduits 31, 32 and 33 after the manner just described. As all these conduits are rigidly secured to the respective cooling chambers 12 to 16, the lat ter are adapted to be disposed in the chambers having the solutions to be cooled and are removably supported therein by reasonof the transverse portions of pipes 11, 30 to 33, and 34, contacting the upper edges of the development tank walls. The cooling chambers accordingly comprise a unitary structure having a plurality of finger-like chambers adapted to be disposed in compartments to be cooled.

As illustrated, the chamber 16 is communicably connected by conduit 34 to the bottom of dome or chamber 17, into which the pipe 11-A extends a considerable distance. Conduit 11 also establishes communication between regulator 10 and chamber 12.

The regulator 10 may be of any suitable type, but preferably embodies a float controlled valve, operating after the fashion set forth in my aforesaid copending application Serial No. 336,748, to which reference may be had for further details of construction.

As previously set forth, the oil and gaseous chemicals are drawn into compressor 5, where the chemical is compressed, whence the oil and chemical are urged to the condenser 8,

' where the chemical is chilled and condensed to a liquid, whence the medium of oil and liquid chemical are forced under pressure into reservoir 9, and thence to regulator 10. This ortion of the system will be hereinafter designated as the high pressure side. That portion of the system between regulator 10 and compressor 5, including pipe 11, chambers 12 to 16, chamber 17 and pipe 1lA are maintained under suction or sub-atmospheric pressure by the suction action of compressor 5, and is herewith designated the low pressure side Accordingly the medium, under pressure,

is constantly being supplied to reservoir 9,

which insures an adequate and generous supply in regulator 10. Upon discharge of the medium from regulator 10 to the low pressure side, the expansion of the liquid chemical to a vapor occurs in finger chambers 12 to 16, with the attendant abstraction of heat from the walls thereof, as well as from the solutions in the compartments 21 to 25. When the temperature in said compartments has reached the predetermined low degree for which the thermostat is set, the current to motor 6 is automatically shut off and the system remains dormant until the temperature rises sufliciently to incept the operation of the system, which again occurs automatically.

It is notable, that the chambers 12 to 16 are constantly flooded with the liquid medium, this being assured by the provision of chamber or dome 17, wherein the oil is temporarily stored under sub-atmospheric pressure. As illustrated, chamber 17 is almost full of oil, since the outlet 11-A is located near the top thereof, serving as an over-flow pipe into which the oil and vapor bubbles over and returns to the compressor.

Attention is directed to the fact that the inlet pipe of each of the cooling chambers 12 to 16 extends to the bottoms of the respective chambers. This insures that the oil and expanding chemical may rise from the bottom to the top of the chamber, whereby the walls uniformly experience the cooling effect of the change of state of the chemical. Due to the pressure of the oil and the unique arrangement of the apparatus, the vaporization of the chemical occurs uniformly throughout chambers 12 to- 16. This is ascribed to the fact that the chambers are maintained under low pressure, while the liquid level in chamber 17 insures the flooding of those chambers at all times. Under these circumstances, the liquid in chambers 12 to 16 and 17 are kept in a state of ebullitionor boiling with the molecules of liquid chemical changing over to the vapor state under the reduced pressure. While some of these liquid molecules vaporize in the first chamber (12), others are carried over and experience a change "of state in succeeding chambers.

Accordingly, some chilled oil, liquid chemical and gaseous chemical is present in each of the finger-like chambers. Therefore, vaporization and consequent chilling goes on in each chamber with the result that the solutions of the developing tank are maintained cool, and at a substantially uniform temperature.

It is, therefore, seen, that the solutions are kept cool in an entirely. automatic manner, requiring no human attention. Although the improvements are diagrammatically illustrated, it understood thatthey are embodied incompact form adapted to be housed within the photomaton cabinet at the time of manufacture. In existingmachines of the type in question, the present improvements may be installed with great facility.

While five cooling chambers have been il-' lustrated, it is apparent that any number of such chambers may be provided and arranged in any desired manner. For example, they may be associated with the water compartments of the tank, should occasion require. Furthermore, that section of the low pressure side between regulator 10 and chamber 17, may take the form of a sinuous conduct having relatively long loops, which latter may be disposed in the solution tanks in the same relation as described with respect to chambers 12 to 16. In this arrangement, said chambers are omitted, and the vaporization of the chemical occurs in the loops of the conduit,

the action being similar to that ascribed with respect to said chambers.

Other applications and modifications of the present improvements will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction herein set forth.

. I claim 1. In a device of the character described, a developing tank, a plurality of chemical solution compartments adapted to receive a film for immersion therein, a cooling chamber disposed in each compartment, said chambers being communicably connected and means for circulating a refrigerant through said chambers.

2. In a device of the character described, a developing tank, a plurality of chemical solution compartments adapted to receive a for immersion therein, a'cooling chamber disposed in each compartment, said chambers being communicably connected, and means for circulating a refrigerant through said'chambers, including means for insuring flooding of said chambers with said refrigerant.

3. In a compressor type refrigerating system adapted for use in association with a plural compartment developing'tank of an automatic photography machine,-the combination of a regulator for the circulating refrigerant, a suction conduit, a low pressure chamber set in said conduit, and a plurality of intercommunicating attenuated cooling chambers set in said conduit between said regulator and low pressure chamber and adaptedto be removably supported over the top of an open top developing tank.

4. In a device of the character described, a cooling unit for refrigerating systems comprising a plurality of vertically disposed attenuated tanks, adjacent tanks being communicably connected by a conduit extending from the top of one tank to'th'e bottom of the adjacent tank, said conduits being con- 50 nected into the tops of all the tanks so that a finger-like arrangement results, whereby the tanks are adapted for convenient introduction to or withdrawal from a plurality of open top compartments.

Witness my hand this 1st day of March,

1929, county of New York, State of New York. ALBERT C. DENSLOW. 

